Gem Homeworld
The Gem Homeworld, or simply Homeworld, is the home planet of the Gem race and presumed capital of the Gems' intergalactic empire. It was first mentioned in "Mirror Gem". Description Little is known about the Gem Homeworld and its accurate history, culture, and society. It is at least known that Homeworld is a totalitarian, oligarchical society governed by the Great Diamond Authority. Homeworld is a planet in a distant galaxy, which maintains an extensive empire of colony worlds, and constantly seeks to expand, as seen in "It Could've Been Great". Once suitable planets are located, they are exploited through facilities like the Kindergartens and then terraformed to be made fit for Gem settlements, which would involve eliminating any pre-existing life on the planet. In "Log Date 7 15 2", Garnet mentioned that the Gem Homeworld is not located in the Milky Way galaxy, where Earth resides, but in a separate galaxy still visible from Earth. A strict caste system exists based on the Gem's gemstone, thus predetermining every Gem's role within their society. Deviation from the given social norms is harshly punished; for instance, when Ruby accidentally fused with Sapphire to create Garnet, she was sentenced to be shattered by Blue Diamond in "The Answer". Aside from the caste system, Gems on Homeworld are also divided into factions based on which Diamond they serve under. Homeworld is also technologically advanced, achieving intergalactic travel thousands of years before the beginning of the events of the series. According to Lapis Lazuli, it had become even more advanced since the Rebellion to the point of being unrecognizable when compared with the time that Lapis left, now possessing further technological achievements such as the Gem Warship and Gem Destabilizers. This advanced technology greatly contrasts the old and decrepit Gem technology left on Earth, which Peridot considers to be archaic. Homeworld's imperialistic and exploitative society indicates they are possibly a warlike society bent on wiping out organic life. Another possibility is that they simply do not care about non-Gem life forms, seeing them as inferior. The Gems primarily came to Earth for the reasons of building a colony and later destroying it after the Rebellion. Caste System Homeworld maintains a strict caste system, with each type of gemstone having a predetermined role and place in the social pyramid, each with their own privileges and ordained purposes. Any Gem, who, in any way, digresses from their role, be it intentional or not, would be considered defective. Because there are so many of one type of Gem, the Homeworld Gems — except the Diamonds — distinguish themselves via coded serial numbers. So far the known castes, from lowest to highest (presumably), are: Fusions Fusions are weapons in the caste. They are used in times of war, seen as objects rather than their own beings. A fusion outside of battle is considered highly inappropriate and extremely unorthodox, being regarded as disgusting, embarrassing or discomforting to behold (as inferred from Jasper and Peridot's reactions towards Garnet). To a further extent, only fusions of the same gem type are seen as acceptable (such as a fusion consisting of several rubies). Fusions between Gems of different varieties is considered even more of an abnormality in Gem society, as the Gem diplomats in "The Answer" referred to Garnet as "disgusting" and "unheard of". Pearls Pearls are servants in the caste. Described by Peridot as "someone's shiny toy", Pearls serve as domestics and ladies-in-waiting to their owners. They are expected only to serve and be submissive and obedient. Their work consists of domestic tasks such as cleaning or holding their owners' things. Pearls are also status symbols on Homeworld reserved for higher castes, as Peridot comments that the idea of a Peridot owning a pearl is a ridiculous notion. Pearls may also be earned by committing an act of heroism towards the Diamonds, as Eyeball states in "Bubbled". As seen in "Gem Heist", Pearls also serve the function of footmen, opening doors for their masters; they are expected to consistently exhibit subservience by remaining silent unless spoken to and remaining a few paces behind their superior when walking with them. They also provide simple luxuries like singing, as seen in "That Will Be All". Physically, all Pearls appear to have a slender form and a beak-like nose. They can also be "customized" to resemble their owners in color, appearance, and Gem placement, (as seen from Yellow and Blue Pearl). However, this is not always the case, as Pearl successfully passed off being Sapphire's Pearl despite sharing no resemblance to her "owner". Peridots Peridots serve mainly as technicians and Kindergarteners, sometimes performing field assignments on other planets, such as the Peridot who befriends Steven. Their exact role is currently unknown; however, they are higher than Pearls (but not high enough to own a pearl of their own). Era 2 Peridots are given Limb Enhancers to compensate for their lack of abilities older gems have, due to the depletion of resources on Homeworld. One Peridot, so far, has been shown to have telekinetic capabilities over metallic objects. Rubies Rubies are another type of soldier caste. Garnet describes them as "common", seeing as they are all originally identical to one another. They appear to be used as personal escorts and bodyguards for high-ranking Gems. Seeing as they are so numerous, inferred from Ruby's comment of there being "tons" of her, Rubies are considered somewhat unimportant and highly expendable grunts, though they compensate by fusing together into bigger constructs of themselves. Rubies are also sent to different planets to seek out specific Gems. As Rubies are merely common soldiers, they are not very intelligent, being easily fooled by Steven's claims that Jasper is on Neptune and Amethyst's obvious disguise as Jasper. Bismuths Bismuths are the building caste, in charge of constructing temples, spires, arenas, and other structures for the aristocratic members of Gem society on both Homeworld and Gem colonies. As such, they possess a broad stature for intensive physical labor, above average resistance to heat and damage, and hands capable of fluidly changing form, without the need for typical Gem shapeshifting, to fit a wide variety of purposes. Nephrites Not much is known about Nephrites in the caste, but they have been mentioned to pilot Gem Ships. Unknown Green Gem Currently, the Centipeetle's gem type is unknown. However, her role in gem society is shown in "Monster Reunion". These green Gems travel in large groups, flying on Gem spaceships and landing on gem colonies. Once they arrive, they begin development and build structures on the planet. Quartzes Quartzes are a soldier caste. Made to fit the role of an elite warrior, Quartzes have incredible height, broad shoulders, and an intimidating muscular build. Rose Quartz and Jasper both fit this description. Amethyst is also a Quartz, although she does not fit the description because she "stayed in the ground too long", and was, therefore, overcooked. Some Quartzes are used as bodyguards and escorts, as shown by Jasper. They appear to be less numerous than Rubies. According to Ian Jones-Quartey, some have defensive powers as well (Like Rose's) since "they can't all be tankers". Quartzes were described to be "huge, loyal soldiers." Jasper states that Quartzes are made to fight and that Jaspers, specifically, always get what they want. Some Quartzes also act as guards at Homeworld outposts, such as Pink Diamond's Zoo. Quartz is the largest known Gem type with Gems including Amethysts, Carnelians, Jaspers, and Rose Quartzes. Agates So far, only Holly Blue Agate is the only Agate shown in the show. She is in charge of a group of Quartz soldiers and manages Pink Diamond's Zoo. Quartzes of her type seem to have a higher ranking than standard "made-for-battle" ones. Their purpose seems to be administrative in nature. "What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?" implies that they are meant to be terrifying figures that cow the Gems under them into obedience. Lapis Lazulis According to the song "What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?" Lapis' are for terraforming planets, which could explain why Lapis suddenly had the urge to farm. It also explains why she can manipulate such massive bodies of water with such ease. Sapphires Sapphires are of the nobility class, described by Garnet as rare aristocratic gems. They are able to see into the future using their "future vision". So far, Sapphires are the only non-fusion gem type shown with this ability. Their honorific is "your clarity". Diamonds Diamonds are the highest caste, similar to royalty and referred to as the "matriarchs" of Gem society; they make up The Great Diamond Authority. All Homeworld Gems are fanatically loyal to the diamonds, seeing as Peridot formerly adored Yellow Diamond. Gems also appear to be categorized under their respective Diamonds, as Blue Diamond referred to Sapphire as being "of her court" and Peridot saying she was "made" for Yellow Diamond. They are also of a massive size, towering over the other types of Gems seen, even some fusions. Any form of infidelity displayed towards the Diamonds is considered punishable by death. Their honorific is "my Diamond". Eras Eras '''refers to different points in Gem history. Era 1 Anything labeled as "Era 1" means that whatever it is, it was created before the shortage of resources on Homeworld. Some examples of Era 1 artifacts are the majority of the Gem structures on Earth, and the Ancient Gem Colony Ship. Era 1 Gems possess all standard Gem abilities. Era 2 At a certain point in time after the Rebellion, Homeworld began running low on resources. To compensate, Homeworld Gems manufactured Gems with fewer abilities to continue Gem production on Homeworld. Some Era 2 Gems are given technological enhancements to make up for their inferior nature. Era 2 ships, such as the Roaming Eye, are known to be more advanced than Era 1 ships. Occupations There have been several occupations on Homeworld, most or all of which are filled by one or more types of Gems in accordance with the strict Caste System. These occupations include but are not limited to: * Construction worker * Gladiator * Kindergartner * Philosopher * Pilot * Servant * Soldier * Technician * Terraformer * Manager Technology Over the past 5,000 years, the Homeworld Gems have developed advanced technology unfamiliar to the earthbound Crystal Gems. However, even 5,000 years prior, Gem technology was already considerably high-tech, already having invented things like space travel and holographic projection. In "Monster Reunion", it is revealed that some flash of light or explosion, used by the Diamonds, caused the corruption of Gems into monsters. In contrast to earlier Gem technology, which is notably rock and light based, some of the more recent Homeworld innovations seem to have electrical and plastic components, such as the destabilizers and robonoids. * Gem Destabilizer weapons. * Limb Enhancers. * Robonoids such as Flask Robonoids and Plug Robonoids. * Warships equipped with powerful beam weapons, destabilizer containment fields, and escape pods. * universe.wikia.com/wiki/Red_Eye Red Eye. * Diamond Communicator. * Roaming Eye. Punishment Punishment is reserved for Gems who show any disloyalty or perform treason against The Great Diamond Authority. * '''Execution (Shattering) – The most common punishment, which involves the shattering of the gemstone, eliminating the core of the Gem and the Gem themselves. Rose confided to Pearl that losing the war would end in them being shattered by the Diamonds, and Ruby was sentenced to be broken by Blue Diamond for accidentally fusing with Sapphire, shortly before escaping to Earth with the other Gem. * Harvesting – May involve Gems being imprisoned in bubbles indefinitely. Peridot incorrectly assumed this would happen to her when she saw the Gem Bubbles in the Burning Room. * Forced Fusion – As theorized by Garnet, the Gem Mutants were created as a punishment to the fallen rebels for siding with Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems during the war for Earth. * Corruption – As punishment for The Rebellion, the Diamonds corrupted most of the remaining Gems on Earth by unknown means. Inhabitants * Yellow Diamond * Blue Diamond * Unknown White Diamond * Yellow Pearl * Blue Pearl * Quartz ** Holly Blue Agate ** "Skinny" Jasper ** Carnelian ** Amethysts "8XG," "8XJ," and "8XL" ** Other Amethysts * Rubies ** "Doc" ** "Eyeball" ** "Leggy" ** "Army" ** "Navy" ** Other Rubies * Other Unknown Gems ** Nephrite ("Bismuth") ** Unnamed Warrior Gem ("Sworn to the Sword") ** Blue Diamond's Court ("The Answer") Former Inhabitants * Pink Diamond (shattered) * Jasper (corrupted) * Centipeetle Mother (corrupted) * Crystal Gems ** Rose Quartz ** Pearl ** Ruby ** Sapphire ** Peridot ** Bismuth ** "Crazy Lace" ** "Biggs" ** "Snowflake" * Lapis Lazuli Trivia * Homeworld invaded Earth and established Kindergarten about 6,000 years prior to the events of the show, but was driven off by the Crystal Gems' war of rebellion 5,000 years ago. Based on the numbers given, they occupied Earth for at least a thousand years. * It is unknown if the planet has an actual name, as up to this point it has only been referred to as "Homeworld". * Pearl said that Earth was not a Gem-controlled planet, possibly inferring that some planets are under Gem occupation. ** Later, in "Cry for Help", Peridot states that Earth is a part of the "Crystal System", suggesting that the Homeworld has incorporated its colonized worlds into a larger territorial body, as well as has categories for the star and solar systems. *** Interestingly, "Crystal Systems" are the classifications of gemstone structures, of which there are seven, each having characteristic shapes. The systems differ regarding the angles between faces and in a number of edges of equal length on each face. ** In "It Could've Been Great" Peridot revealed that Homeworld is an imperialistic society, with several planets under their control. * It is implied by Garnet in her verse of the extended theme that living as a fusion on Homeworld may be a practice that's looked down upon, which could be the reason why she willingly sided with the Crystal Gems in the Rebellion. ** This is supported by Jasper's comments on Garnet during both "The Return" and "Jail Break". ** Peridot also supported this theory by calling Garnet a "filthy war machine", implying that fusions on Homeworld are primarily used for war. ** It is proven true in "The Answer" by how the members of Blue Diamond's court reacted to Ruby and Sapphire fusing for the first time, finding the fusion between two different Gems abhorrent. * It is revealed in "When It Rains" that it does not rain on Homeworld since Peridot was not familiar with the phenomenon. This, along with Gems' non-organic physiology, may be indicative that Homeworld does not have an atmosphere. * Peridot reveals in "Back to the Barn" that Homeworld is a caste society. * A Peridot with a Pearl servant is apparently an unheard of thing on Homeworld since pearls are considered a luxury for higher classes like the Diamonds, as seen in "The Answer". * Peridot's lack of knowledge on the wheel hints that Homeworld's advancement has reached far enough that the wheel has become technologically obsolete and has passed out of use and general knowledge. * In "Too Far", Peridot is unfamiliar with the 24-hour terrestrial day and refers to it as a "rotation". However, she is familiar with the concepts of years, centuries, and eras. The exact specifics of Homeworld chronology remain unclear. * Gems refer to their designated Diamonds as "My Diamond". * As seen in "Message Received", Gems salute their Diamonds by crossing their arms and forming a diamond with their hands. ** Also shown in the same episode, Homeworld Gems distinguish themselves from others of their type via codes and serial numbers based on Facet and Cut. For instance, Peridot is identified as "Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG." ** Judging by Peridot's twitter account having the name "Peridot5XG", it can be assumed that the cut portion of a gem's identification serves as their principal means of identification. The facet code is most likely the era in which the gem was created (2 for Peridot), followed by the official name of the facet. Since Eyeball's identification code also contains an F in its facet portion, it is possible that the F is merely a placeholder for Facet and that the final numbers following indicate the gem's respective facet. * In "Log Date 7 15 2", it is shown that Homeworld's galaxy can be seen with the naked eye from Earth. * Although color may be a factor, it is currently unknown how gems are specifically distributed between the courts of each Diamond. * As Peridot was made on Homeworld, this proves that like Earth, Homeworld has Peridotite minerals. It is most likely that Homeworld has other similar minerals to Earth. * Due to Lapis' reaction to them in "Same Old World", and the fact that it does not rain on Homeworld, it can be presumed there are no trees on Homeworld. * In "Too Short to Ride", it is revealed that Homeworld is currently low on resources and, due to this, they are unable to create Gems with standard Gem abilities. * In addition to disliking fusion, Homeworld also seems to have an unfavorable view towards shape-shifting. Peridot calls it "an insult to your intended form." Jasper calls it "reshaping yourself outside your purpose." * The Gems have their own written language, even though they speak English. * Steven and Amethyst have never seen Homeworld. * Bismuth's dialogue in "Bismuth" indicates that Homeworld itself was untouched by "the Rebellion". * In "That Will Be All", it is revealed that the remaining Rose Quartzes are being held in bubbles, due to Blue Diamond's not wanting to shatter them in keeping Pink Diamond's legacy.